Costa was shot in the head during an apparent struggle with intruders inside his home, and cash was taken, said William Kaempffer, the Bridgeport police spokesman.

"It is believed that the house was specifically targeted and that the incident was not random," he said.

Police responding to the scene saw several people fleeing the area and pursued them, Kaempffer said. Officers lost sight of them after the suspects jumped into a brook.

"An extensive search was conducted by the patrol division with the assistance of the Bridgeport Fire Department using thermal imaging devices," Kaempffer said in a press release. "The suspects were not located."